Chocolate Sufganiyot

An excellent Israeli recipe, tested over many years. Chocolate sufganiyot are a highlight of the Hanukkah table, and children love taking part in making them. Above all, guard the filling: it is so delicious that it may well disappear ‘along the way,’ never making it into the doughnuts themselves ;) !

Prepare the filling: Heat the chocolate and nondairy cream in a small saucepan, stirring. When the chocolate has melted, remove from the heat, transfer to a covered container, and place in the freezer for at least half an hour.

Prepare the dough: Place all the dough ingredients in the mixer bowl. Add the salt separately from the yeast, making sure the yeast does not come into contact with the salt. Knead on low speed for 5 minutes until the dough is uniform. If the dough is too dry, add a little nondairy cream. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave the dough to rise for 20 minutes, until doubled in volume.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface, punch it down, and roll it out to a thickness of 0,6 cm. Cut out circles 6 cm in diameter. Place ½ tablespoon of frozen chocolate in the center of each circle, fold the edges inward, and roll gently on the work surface to form a ball. Prepare the remaining doughnuts in the same way. Place them on a floured surface, cover with a towel, and let rise for 15 minutes.

Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan to 175 degrees. Place the doughnuts in the oil (3-4 at a time), cover the saucepan with a lid, and fry for 2-3 minutes, until one side is golden brown. Turn over and fry uncovered for at least another 3 minutes. Remove and place on a platter lined with a paper towel. Let cool slightly.

Warm the remaining filling in the microwave. Decorate the doughnuts with chocolate glaze. Serve the same day or freeze immediately. To defrost, place in an oven heated to a moderate temperature for 10 minutes.

You can also make a ‘dairy’ version: replace the nondairy cream in the dough with one cup of milk, and use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate.

Wishing you a bright and joyful Hanukkah!